Robert Garcia advises Anthony Joshua to take ‘two or three fights’ before facing Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua’s trainer Robert Garcia has admitted that he would have preferred his fighter to take two or three fights before facing heavyweight rival Tyson Fury. 

Joshua’s management team, 258, confirmed on Tuesday that the Olympic gold medallist had ‘accepted all terms’ for a fight with Fury on December 3. Promoter Frank Warren has since confirmed that Joshua can expect to receive a contract shortly as the huge domestic showdown edges nearer.

Negotiations for the fight have proceeded quickly, and Garcia has revealed that he has not had a say in them. He has now said that he would not have rushed into the fight if he had his way.

Robert Garcia would prefer him to wait and have some more fights before taking on Fury

‘I have spoken with Joshua’s team. But I am the newest member of the whole team, and they are decisions that they have to make between them,’ he told Izquierdazo.

‘For my part, I would like to do about two or three fights before [Fury], but obviously it is a business and a huge fight in Europe.

‘I can’t stop them from taking something if it’s a huge fight and the purse I think would be a lot of money. I’m the newest on the team, I don’t own the decisions, they have a very smart management team and they will make the right decision and it’s their decision really.

Joshua was not expected to go straight back in for a title shot after losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk, but the opportunity presented itself when the Ukrainian stated that he wanted to take time away from the ring to rest and spend time with his family.

Garcia has admitted that he still has some doubts about whether Fury is serious about fighting Joshua, or if he is just trying to put Usyk under pressure to sign for their undisputed clash.

Garcia is unsure whether Fury is serious about fighting Joshua later this year

‘For me, if you want to know what I think: I think Fury is doing all this to put pressure on Usyk to make the unification.’ 

‘It’s a great fight, and I also think Fury started talking. And they have talked about it with Joshua ‘s team, because they told me about it, but it could be part of the strategy of putting pressure on Usyk and thinking that he is losing the opportunity,’ Garcia added.

Garcia has only worked with Joshua for one fight so far, and there is some uncertainty over whether he will continue in the Brit’s corner after he claimed Joshua ‘mentally defeated himself’ in the Usyk rematch last month.

Garcia thinks Fury may be using Joshua to try and get Oleksandr Usyk to fight him soon

The 47-year-old has hinted that he would like to remain Joshua’s trainer, but has made it clear that he would want to set up camp back in California rather than having to travel to London.

‘I told them what I think: that it would be better, and because of my work in California, I recommended doing the camp here,’ Garcia said.

‘He liked the idea and they will take it into account. But for me to go back [to train Joshua in London] is difficult for me. I have a lot of work, fighters who fight every weekend.

‘But I know that with my dad’s team, my son Mikey, I know I can do it and go another couple of months. I know I can, but I would rather stay. Let the preparation be here.’